Taking a gander at mongoose menace

Do you smell a rat? The Native Hawaiians apparently did, after the islands’ sugarcane plantation owners introduced the Indian mongoose in 1883 to control the rats chowing down crops.

Jeanne Cooper / Special to SFGate

The mongoose may have been an invited guest, but its appetite for native wildlife was unwelcome.

Over a thousand years earlier, Polynesians had brought the rat, or ‘iole, with them in voyaging canoes as a valuable source of protein, especially in their virtually mammal-free new-found land. Related species showed up as stowaways on Western ships in the late 18th century. When this rodent hunter sailed in, as an invited guest from the West Indies, Hawaiian speakers dubbed it ‘iole manakuke, or “mongoose rat.”

But there was a flaw in the planters’ pest-control plan: Rats are nocturnal, and mongooses are diurnal. While studies that counted rat bones in mongoose poop (now there’s a job to make you feel good about yours) showed that mongoose do consume their target prey, the newcomers failed to eat enough to make a difference in the thriving rat population. Even worse: The mongoose quickly developed a taste for ground-nesting Hawaiian birds and their eggs, already endangered by loss of habitat and hunting. The destructive legacy of the mongoose is one reason why Hawai’i residents are reluctant to introduce predators for new pests such as coqui frogs.

Yet not every isle suffered from mongoose invasion. Of the four major islands, Kaua’i is famous for being mongoose-free (although an alleged sighting in 2004 prompted headlines and unsuccessful trapping efforts to confirm — and contain — any presence.) The oft-recounted story goes that a dockworker in Nāwiliwili Harbor was unloading a crate of the critters when one of the mongoose bit him. Faster than you can say “Auwē!” he dropped them in the water.

Of the smaller populated islands, Ni’ihau and Lāna’i have also avoided mongoose infestation, primarily because they had little or no sugarcane production. (Introduced goats and sheep have created plenty of other ill effects to their ecosystems.)

On the other inhabited islands, you may see the weaselly (just calling it like I see it) mongoose darting across roads or scurrying for cover, often at dusk. Or you may wait for years for a sighting, judging by some of the responses to the last Sunday Quiz in Hawai’i Insider, which asked readers to identify the animal in the photo, name where it was not found in the islands and share any personal anecdotes.

Here are just a few of their trips down mongoose memory lane:

“At my grandparent’s old house (near Leahi Hospital) there was a mongoose that lived under the house. Every once in a while I would see it in the yard sunning itself and rolling in the grass.” — Donna Ozawa, San Francisco

“As a child, I would frequently spend summers with my aunt, uncle and cousins on O’ahu, where we would occasionally see mongoose. At that time, the phrase ‘Hang Loose Mongoose’ was very popular. I remember that I had a favorite T-shirt with that saying and an iconic screen of a mongoose on it — I wore it all the time!” — Jennifer Penner, Oakland

“I don’t think I have ever been to Hanauma Bay that I have not seen them running from the bushes to the garbage cans, then back to the bushes.” — Jerry Gilley, Honolulu

“It’s pretty common to see them running across the road in the back roads. I grew up on Maui, and have commonly seen mongoose road kill on those same back roads.” — Nora, Durham, N.C.

“The last time we went home, we were at Haunama Bay and my girlfriend was dying to see a mongoose because she has ferrets (a distant cousin). She was thrilled to take a picture of one.” — Paul Kahalewai, Petaluma

“When on the Big Island a few years ago at the Keauhou Beach Resort, we were walking across the path by the pool on the way to the snorkel bay and two mongoose ran out onto the path, had about 12 seconds of sex, then scooted back into the brush. We laughed so hard. Couldn’t get the camera out fast enough.” — Ed Rapp, Napa

“My husband and eloped — Kohala Coast in July. We had a very romantic and beautiful stay at the Fairmont, but every morning eating breakfast we would see them scurrying across the lawn.” — Natalie Fogle

“Kaua’i, where I was born and raised, has managed to escape the mongoose’s wrath, which has resulted in maintaining the largest amount of endangered species. About 15 years ago, when we lived in Halawa Heights in Aiea [O’ahu], our dog, a black lab named Mitzi, caught and killed a mongoose in our backyard. They are very vicious animals, but the dog won. Apparently our dog did not want any critters coming into her property. Mitzi is now in heaven basking in her glory.” — Cora Mukai, Elk Grove

Cora was one of the very few respondents to name Kaua’i, Lana’i and Ni’ihau as the three reputedly mongoose-free islands, as was Kathy Chang of Valencia, Calif., who added, “We have visited Hawaii, Maui, and Oahu and have not seen this animal yet. When we do, we will know what it is.”

Thanks to a link on one of the Facebook Hawai’i pages, many more people than normal responded to the photo quiz. The dozen or so readers who named at least Kaua’i and Lāna’i in their answers, and included their mailing addresses within the posted deadline, will receive one of my small Hawai’i-themed prizes as a mahalo gift. (Wish I could send more, but I pay for the postage and most prizes.) Thanks to all who participated, and feel free to add your mongoose stories in the comments below.